But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.

2 Peter 3:18

Don't Worry

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matthew 6:34)

Our Lord Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, chapters 5-7) tells us not to worry. He gives us two good reasons why we should not worry. And yet, we often do worry. Let's consider why our Lord say not to worry.

· No man can serve two masters.

· Our Heavenly Father knows our needs and He will provide.

Let's consider each of these two reasons our Lord gives us from the Sermon on the Mount. We'll focus on His words in Matthew 6:19-34.

NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. (Matthew 6:19-24)

Our Lord is here warning against covetousness, which is idolatry. Those who will lie, cheat, kill, commit and/or support sexual immorality to get more money are revealing that money is their god. They are covetous.

They have a darkened understanding ("evil eye" in the KJV). They are not seeing things clearly. Therefore, their whole life is full of the darkness of sin. They live foolishly--as if there is no God in Heaven.

But, don't we need money to support our family? And if take no thought for the future (morrow or tomorrow in the KJV) who will? Which leads us to the next reason our Lord gives us as to why we should not worry.

OUR FATHER KNOWS OUR NEEDS AND HE WILL PROVIDE

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Our Lord reasons, If God takes care of birds and grass, isn't he going to take care of you? What sane farmer would feed his livestock, but starve his own children?

Three times in the above passages of Scripture, our Lords tells us to "Take no thought" which can also be translated "don't worry." "Take no thought" does NOT mean "don't plan ahead."

If a farmer wants a harvest, he must use the means God has given him to plow his field and plant his seed. He must plan ahead. But he should pray and then leave the results of the harvest in God's hands.

The Bible praises those who plan ahead. Consider the following verses of Scripture:

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)

4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. (Proverbs 20:4)

As one Baptist preacher said, "It is not foresight, but foreboding that is forbidden." Don't reach into tomorrow and borrow trouble. Don't pull tomorrow's clouds over today's sunshine.

Our Lord warns us not to worry, yet we can always seem to find something to worry about. The rich fear losing what they have. The poor fear not having enough.

The old worry because they are facing death. The young fear because they are facing life.

As a combat veteran with a survival mentality, I confess that I've often been guilty of worry about nuclear war, economic collapse, and all out persecution of believers in Christ.

While it is not wrong to plan ahead, as both Noah and Joseph did when faced with God's warning of coming judgment, worry can often creep in unawares. We should do what we can, and not worry about the rest.

Worry is useless. It is also harmful. It won't lengthen your life. But it may shorten it. Worry hides God's blessings from our view. That's why the Apostle Paul wrote:

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

When we count our many blessings, name them one by one, we'll be amazed at what God has done. When we refuse to worry, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving make our requests known unto God, He will keep us in perfect peace.

Why? Because our mind is stayed (in trust) on our Heavenly Father who cares for us. Worry is an insult to God. What worry reveals is that we don't really believe that God works all things together for our good.

Yet Romans 8:28 says that God does control all events. He works them together for good for those of us who love God and are the called (to be true believers in Christ) according to His Divine Plan ("purpose" in KJV).

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28)

Why then does God allow trouble and problems to afflict us? He sends these trials because without them, our sinful hearts would not come to Him in faith, trusting in His mercy, power and provision.

Trouble reminds us that we deserve worse than the problems we now have (or may have in the future). Trials remind us that we must come to God our Heavenly Father through Christ for forgiveness, mercy, provision, protection and inward peace.

We need to review our priorities from time to time. Our Lord Jesus plainly teaches us that if we take care of His business, He'll take care of ours.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (Matthew 6:33-34)

George Theiss is a combat veteran of Vietnam who now follows Lamb of God. He and his wife, Christy, have been married 41 years (in 2018). They have 8 grown children. You can contact George at support@tulipgems.com